Rogue Warrior Review - PC

Game Description:Based on the adventures of novelist and real-life Navy SEAL leader Richard Marcinko, Rogue Warrior puts players in the shoes of 80s-era Marcinko (voice in-game by Mickey Rourke), who's stuck behind enemy lines in North Korea as he covertly assesses the nation's nuclear arsenal. As he fights to escape, he must stun, shoot (and most notoriously) stab his way through North Korean and Soviet soldiers to avert a potential nuclear strike.

Rogue Warrior Review

Rogue Warrior is a first-person shooter based on the life and autobiography of Richard "Dick" Marcinko, a soldier who served with the Navy SEALs in Vietnam, and later formed Red Cell, who were tasked with testing the security of bases, submarines, and, most famously, Air Force One. In other words, an interesting character. Oh, if only we could say the same for this game.

The Pros

Hilariously filthy dialog.

Has the cheese of an '80s action movie.

Is over quick.

The Cons

Drab graphics.

More frustrating than challenging.

Dated gameplay.

If the first Lethal Weapon movie showed us anything, it was that interesting characters can make the difference between a rote action movie and a great one. Though, as Lethal Weapon 4 showed us, you still need more than interesting characters to make a passable one.

Rogue Warrior is a first-person shooter based on the life of, and the autobiography of the same name by, Richard “Dick” Marcinko, a veteran U.S. soldier who served with the Navy SEALs in Vietnam, and later formed Red Cell, who were tasked with testing the security of bases, submarines, and, most famously (or embarrassingly, since they managed to infiltrate it), Air Force One. In other words, an interesting character. Oh, if only we could say the same for this game.

Going Rouge, er Rogue

In the game, you play as Dick at the end of 1986 as he and his squad of bad asses — oh, wait, everyone else just died — as he single-handedly invades North Korea, looking for nukes. And if this sounds like the plot to a bad Rambo rip-off, well, you’re not far off.

Except that Rambo had more character than Rogue Warrior. The levels are standard issue -- factories, army bases, a train yard -- and each is largely just a series of tubes, er narrow passageways, with hardly any alternate paths or open battlefields. The action also doesn’t vary much. While you do plant explosives and occasionally go down a zipwire, you never take control of a turret or shoot people from the back of a truck. Nope, you’re pretty much just shooting people.

That is, when you’re not sneaking up behind someone. Rogue Warrior has something of a stealth mechanic at work. There are times when your enemies are either looking the other way, or just not paying attention, and while you could just shoot them, you can also sneak up behind them and kill them real quiet like. Except it’s not much of a stealth mechanic. While you can occasionally knock out the lights, and then use your night vision goggles to find your enemies in the darkness, you can’t hide in the shadows, or toss a bottle across the room to distract them, or hide in a cardboard box and hope no one notices that it moved ten feet while they weren’t looking. They either notice you, or they don’t.

When they don’t, though, you can use a kill move -- much like you did in last year’s The Bourne Conspiracy– which you can use when you’re close enough to stab someone, which is usually what you’ll do. Man, Dick sure loves his knife. There are times when he’ll get a bit more creative, though, such as when your target is leaning over a railing. You can even use a kill move if your enemy does know you’re coming; just get close enough and “bam!”

Similarly, the game has a rather rudimentary cover system. Except, unlike every other recent game with a cover system, this one doesn’t let you run into cover. You have to run, and then hit a button to duck into place, often while being riddled with bullets. You also can’t leap from cover to cover, or over cover.

Rogueis also missing other improvements to the genre that have become standard since the dawn of the new millennium. For example, hitting the button to look down the barrel of your gun doesn’t automatically snap you onto the nearest target like it does in Call of Duty. Nor does it work if you’re in cover and peering out, like it does in Rainbow Six: Vegas.

Adding insult to injury, the game ain’t easy, even when you play it on easy. That’s not to say it’s challenging. Rather, because the graphics are pretty drab, monotonous, and rather dark and lacking contrast (even with the brightness turned all the way up), it’s sometimes hard to see who you’re supposed to be shooting. Not even using your night vision goggles helps much.

It also doesn’t help that, as bad a bad ass as he may be, Dick dies pretty quick. It usually takes just a few bullets to take him down, or a well-placed grenade. This might be more realistic than most shooters, but since the rest of the game isn’t played for realism, this just makes things more taxing than tough.

The game is also really, really short. And not Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 short, but “That’s it? Where you going? This party's just getting started…” short. It’ll take most FPS vets longer to watch both Men In Black movies and the first Lethal Weapon flick.

Finally, there are the online multiplayer modes, which consist of fairly basic versions of “Deathmatch” and “Team Deathmatch.” Granted, you can use kill moves here, but otherwise they have none of the improvements or additions that have become standard since Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

“And Heart to Heart You’ll Win / If You Survive…”

There are, however, some bright spots. Dick is voiced by actor Mickey Rourke, and while there are times when it sounds like he’s just phoning it in, there are also times when he sounds like he just received a doctorate in Creative Cursing from Harvard.

Some of the kill move animations are also pretty funny, in a gallows humor kind of way. They’re not for everyone, but if Friday The 13th movies make you chuckle, some of Dick’s knife moves will, too. And, well, that’s it. I know that’s not saying much, but I’m trying to stay positive. Dick’s game may not be very good, but even pushing 70, as he is, the guy could still kick my ass faster than you can say, “Paul Mitchell.”

Palin By Comparison

Ten years ago, the Kill moves and cover system might’ve helped Rogue Warriorto stand out. But a lot has changed in ten years, and what would’ve been unique then is just rote now. To paraphrase something Dick says in the game (and Danny Glover said in every Lethal Weapon), this game feels too old for this…well, you know.

Comments are Closed

I guess I really don't agree. As a graduate of BUD/S class 115, I found the graphics well...not the best but in terms of challenge it really has a smart feel for a shooter, you lose cover, you get shot. You make too much noise or have too much profile, you get dead, and the 2 upper levels are great, you just have to think and shoot.

This is no kids shooter, the rules about cover and fire fields are pretty good. The first video games I ever liked were the SOCOM series on the PS2, they were good, this is better in some ways, as it really does test more that just your ability to press the trigger key on your controller.

The tactile feel from the controller (yes, it uses the Xbox 360 controller for the PC) and the tactile feel and aiming change signifigantly from weapon to weapon, just like in the world. Some have called me an Uber Nerd, because I spent 23 years actually using different weapons. When I fire that SAW ( the pencheng) it is supposed to have different recoil and accuracy from the submachine guns. Sure aiming is harder, but that's the point.

Some folks like to seek cover and shoot, while maintaining a stationary position, which will get you killed in combat, especially in a many on one situation. In the world a grenade will surely be in your upcoming diet. Aim alone does not make you a shooter, you have to move, cover, shoot and move. Even in a video game you have to get off your fat virtual butt and move, this isn't some "Modern Warfare" fiction, the game was created by one of the toughest SOB's in this country, I have met the man, he is truly a bad dude. Dick is the real deal and a hero, he and Roy Boehm are my two of my inspirations, as these men, both frogmen, were truly innovative bad ass men. SEAL Team 6 is Dick's creation and the best anti-terrorist unit in the world. So many stories of his insanity, all of which constructively pointed to flaws in the system.

For the most part, the Ubisoft shooters are more refined than this game, and sure, I love the TAR-21 as much as the next guy, but Rogue Warrior has much more of a "shoot and loot" feeling. In a fight, I have never seen a spare TAR-21 lying around for pick up. Grabbing an AK and some spare ammo, sure, been there, done that. Sometimes you want to go out grabbing and stabbing, but you have to hang back, shoot and move, constantly gaining advantage in position, especially since the compass tells you where the enemy is.

This game is not for the "Call of Doodie (sp??) Modern (read lard ass) Warfare" folks, it is for people that want to understand the concept of cover and movement, of risk and potential rewards. If you want to understand the mind game a spec warrior has to play, this game is far better than any thing else I have played. No, I'm not related to Marcinko in any way.

If Bethsoft added another game to the series, I'd go for it in a heart beat (Bethsoft take note), but then again, I spent 23 years between the Teams, SBT's and SWCC. the graphics could be better and there are some code bugs, but if you want to get the feel of moving, shooting and looting, this game is great. I have now been through all three levels and found this game far more engrossing than any of the Tom Clancy stuff. I don't really do the "fantasy warrior" stuff (Gears of War, etc). I was a 20th - 21 century spec warrior and I like the feel of this game.

Truthfully, it was the SOCOM series on the PS2 that got me into gaming at all, at that time I was retired from the Navy and working as a Combat SAMBO and Krav Maga instructor (something mellow, good way to spend my retirement).

Prior to those games I thought gaming was for people that can't say no to twinkies. Put on your pants go play some shooter based based on the thoughts of a Real Deal SEAL, this is the one. Yes the Navy did consult on the SOCOM series but Dick was always a bit more outrageous than your average frog.

Man up, loose the skirt, grab a weapon and get ready to fight or get a "Call of Doodie" game. Buy a bag of potato chips, get some Oreo's and soda and really nerd up for "COD (ain't that a fish?)". Truthfully, this one has that feel, the one where the second you stop paying attention, you are dead. The second you lose fire discipline, you are history. It took me no time to get through the first level, which plays by arcade rules and the next two levels started getting really fun.

Bethsoft, get a Rogue Warrior II out there already, I'm not as crazy about "Fallout 3", it is fun, but it is based on fantasy, Dick's game is based on the thoughts and experiences of an incredible brave (read stupid) man. This game is for all who want to at least understand the concept of special warfare. Of course you can grab a bag of Oreo's and well...whatever.

Look, I'm no ordinary nerd, I am both a Combat SAMBO and Krav Maga instructor, and yea I used to coach wrestling as well. I still run about 6% body fat, something I don't see in nerds, but I game and I was an a

Wow I'm about to rent this game just to hear a forty year old man swear until his throat bleeds then I will through the game into a wood chipper along with a copy of WET so that it knows it wasnt the only retarded baby bethesda had then I will blow up the wood chipper and the remains of games burn them and scatter the ashes through out the bermuda triangle

lol the part about the enemies looking away all the time was so sad, that it was funny. Dont the developers realize the crap they are making, before they release it? It seems like they are making games while blindfolded.

\"The game is also really, really short. And not Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 short, but That s it? Where you going? This party's just getting started short. It ll take most FPS vets longer to watch both Men In Black movies and the first Lethal Weapon flick.\"

How new to FPS's need one be that it would take longer to watch both Men In Black movies and the first Lethal Weapon flick than it would take to finish MW2? He must be counting the spec-ops missions too.

Hey Mr. Semel, that second picture you have in this review is not even an actual screenshot of the game. I have played this dreadful game now 3 times scooping up achievements, and that area is 100% NOT in the game. Neither is there a bald dude that you can play in the game. You should fix that because it is misleading, even if the game is terrible.